After the Final Battle
by twin1
Summary: T-Rating for later. Spike and Illyria go to Rome after the Final Battle.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own anything waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

After the Final Battle 

Chapter One 

The sun shone down on them as they headed for an apartment block in a trendy part of town.

Spike stopped and looked up, feeling the sun's warmth on his face. Next to him, Illyria followed suit. Then she brought her face back to normal level and cocked her head inquiringly at him.

"What is it Blue?"

"Will they like me?"

"I don't know Pet, if they don't at first, then I'm sure they will later. I mean, that's what it was like with us, wasn't it?"

"Yes, but for some reason, they won't talk to me anymore. Only you do, why?"

"Because I know what you're feeling. I know what it's like not to have people like or trust you." Illyria nodded, accepting his answer, and then carried on walking to their destination. Spike followed her slowly, thinking back to why they had come to Italy in the first place.

The demons had been defeated; no one had been killed, though some were seriously injured. Gunn and Wesley were right at this moment bleeding to death, and there was nothing they could do to help them, if _they_ didn't agree. The hospitals wouldn't be able to save them, and magick was no use without a witch. So Spike and Illyria had come to get one, leaving Angel and Connor to protect the others from more potential demon attacks.

Spike and his blue companion had been spying on Buffy's apartment block for a few hours now, and were approaching Buffy today, as the whole Scooby Gang would be there.

Spike smiled, looking forward to the surprise. As far as he knew, Andrew was still the only one who knew about him. He had kept the secret longer than Spike had thought possible for him.

They finally reached Buffy's apartment block and pressed the intercom button by the main door.

"Summer residence. This is Buffy, can I help you?" Spike nodded to Illyria. Show time.

As they had planned, Illyria opened her mouth and answered, using Fred's voice rather than her own.

"Umm, hi Buffy. This is Willow's friend Fred. I need to speak to you guys." There was a pause and Spike could here Buffy talking to someone in the background. Probably Giles. Most likely Red as well.

"Okay Fred. Come on up, the apartment number's next to my name." There was a buzzing sound and then a click as the front door unlocked.

Spike and Illyria exchanged glances, gathered their courage and stepped inside; ready to face what awaited them.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Well the second chapter's finally here!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my ideas.

After the Final Battle 

Chapter Two

They paused in front of the apartment door, wanting to collect themselves a bit more before entering – or at least Spike did.

The door was opened and Willow stood there. Spike watched, out of sight while Willow hugged Illyria who was disguised as Fred. She walked over the threshold and into the apartment.

Before Willow closed the door, Spike stepped into her line of vision. He watched as her eyes widened, almost popping out in her surprise. Then her lips curved and she beamed at him before stepping forward and pulling him into a hug. She stepped back and took a good look at him, grinning somewhat goofily all the while. Then she told the two of them to wait for a few seconds.

She came back with Dawn who immediately threw herself on her former crush and whom she had once considered as one of her best friends.

Spike staggered slightly in surprise before hugging her back with great affection. She surprised him even more when she grabbed his head and kissed him lightly on the lips, stopping when he didn't respond. Spike set her down and raised a condescending eyebrow at her after flattening his hair once more.

"I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about." She paused when he looked at her inquiringly. "You tasted great by the way. You know… for a dead guy'n'all." She stepped back into the apartment. "Come on in."

Spike and 'Fred' followed her into the apartment, where Spike was once more set upon, this time by Andrew, who, while hugging him, kept on telling him how good it was to see him, and how beautiful he was – the same as last time. It was downright annoying, but Spike let himself be hugged by him, after all, the little Poof had kept the secret all this time.

When Andrew finally let go, he found the others standing around and staring at him. Surprisingly it was Xander who made the first move. He held out his hand to him.

"You know." He said. "I think part of the reason I never liked you, you know, except for the whole vampire thing, and the thing with Anya, is that I never got to know you properly. I'm sorry for that, and I'm sorry for not believing in you more after you got your soul, I mean, Angel was good when he had his soul, yet I wouldn't believe that you could be as well. And then you sacrificed yourself and saved us all. And I never got to say sorry, or to thank you. So, will you accept my apology?"

Spike answered by taking the hand that was still being held out to him.

The silence that followed Xander's speech was broken by Anya. "Yay!" She exclaimed, then came over and looped an arm around each of the men's necks. "See, and don't we feel so much better now?"

Spike grinned. Anya was as crazy as ever. He looked around the room and found the object of his search. He feasted his eyes on her.

She was still beautiful in the non perfect kind of way. And she still had that look of strength mixed with vulnerability about her. Her hair was long again – the way he liked it best, and the constant look on sadness and the feeling of loneliness were still in her eyes. Something which should have been long gone.

He walked towards her uncertainly and stopped directly in front of her.

Buffy watched as he cocked his head and grinned slightly in that adorable way of his. She wanted to hug him, but she felt paralysed from the shock of seeing him again.

He was alive. The man she loved. The love she had tried to deny time after time. She had finally told him, right before his sacrifice, but he hadn't believed her. And then he had died. She had had many nightmares over the past year, about those last moments of his life, and hadn't had a full night's sleep since that day.

She looked him over from head to toe.

He was as gorgeous as ever, beautiful, hot, and unbelievably sexy. He was alive. And he was a mess.

There was a gash on his forehead, which hadn't fully closed over yet. He had a black eye, a torn lip, a bloody ear, severe bruising on his cheekbones and a nose which looked like it had been broken in quite a few places. And that was just his face. Who knew what his clothing hid.

She looked at his companion and saw that she only looked marginally better.

She walked away from Spike and headed to the nearest bathroom for a first aid kit. Willow looked at what she was carrying and gasped. She blushed with shame.

"I was so happy to see the two of you again, that I didn't even realise the two of you were hurt, I'm so sorry." Spike smiled at her.

"'s okay Red, been like this for a while now. It may not look like it, but we've actually healed quite a bit in the last few days."

Buffy gave some of the contents of the box to Willow for 'Fred' while she herself went to Spike.

"So, where's the ol' Immortal then?" Buffy looked at him in surprise.

"You know about him and me?"

"Yes. He's mine and Angel's mortal enemy you know. Well, immortal would be more accurate." He waited for the answer to his question.

"He's gone."

"Good." She stopped bandaging the gash on his head and began sorting out his other injuries.

Once the two of them had had their wounds treated, they began to tell their story.

A/N: Sorry for leaving it there, but I've got a lot more to finish and post, never mind revising to do. Don't forget to review, even if it's only a 'thanks for updating' or something like that, it'll be appreciated.


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